Directorate General of Health Services 
Order
Delhi State Nursing Cell
The concept of Nursing in India has its roots in antiquity. Chahraka – an exponent of traditional Indian Medicine has defined the attributes of a good nurse. Nursing, now a days is being regarded as one of the most vital segment of health services delivery system. It is an essential part of the system to the extent that it bring vitality to the system itself and brings about a quality of health that we aspire to achieve by the year 2000 AD .
Nursing was a resource to which families turned when their own resources for helping their sick were exhausted. Gradually, with the establishment of hospitals, sick were moved to these institutions for pooled benefits. This trend has accelerated in recent decades and nursing (like other health professions) is now seen as a part in a curative function, increasingly concerned with uncommon or complex disease conditions. These factors have greatly influenced the nursing education, nursing services role and functions. The outturn of nursing manpower has not kept pace with the development and advancement of medical services.
Keeping in view India’s commitment to Health for all by the year 2000 AD through Primary Health Care, National Health Policy was passed in the year 1983. The dichotomous growth of health services and lopsided development of nursing profession led to the setting up of the Committee by the Government in 1987. The members of the High Power Committee have been drawn from various sectors, including health and medical education, nursing education, vocational education , women social workers, professional associations and Indian Nursing Council. This has provided intensive strength to the deliberations of the Committee which reflect a holistic approach to the development of nursing and nursing profession, thus fulfilling a large major of the objective laid in the National Education and National Health policy.
Nursing Personnel are critical Human Resource in the Health care delivery system. State Level nursing organisation attached to State Directorate of Health & Family Welfare is very weak with the result there is no proper nursing manpower planning and supervision management of nursing service are taking place, this has affected in the delivery of health care services. In this context a D.O. letter was sent to all State Health Secretaries with the instructions to formulate Nursing Organisation from Sub-Centre level to State level to strengthen the Nursing Cells to facilitate to provide qualitative Nursing and Midwifery services to the rural population and also to the patients in the hospitals.
Issues of concerning to Nursing Cells are :-
- The issue of inadequate supervision and monitoring of educational activities of School of Nursing, Colleges of Nursing, ANM Training Centres etc.
- Due to the weak infrastructure of the Nursing Cell at the State Head quarters, there is a lack of coordination between Nursing Education Nursing Service and Public Health Nursing matters.
- Lack of space, infrastructure facilities and insufficient data processing system are the other concerns of the State Nursing Cells which in turn leads to poor human resources information and management. Strengthening of Nursing Cell at the State level will in turn bring out, a better implementation of policy matter pertaining to Nursing, improved data processing, will aid in maintaining live register, will facilitate advances practice in collaboration with Central schemes.
Govt. of India , Ministry of H&FW Nursing Division has released one time Central assistance for upgradation/strengthening /establishment of State Nursing Cell during XI Plan period. The fund represents grants in aid to establish State Nursing Cell. This is one time assistance both for non-recurring and recurring expenditure .
Aims & Objectives of DSNC
- Cadre Management of Nursing Personnel.
(a) Nursing Educators.
(b) Public Health-PHN, ANM, LHVs.
(c) Nursing Administrator.
(d) Nursing Service Personal. - Coordinate with Government of India with regard to Planning and Implementation Schemes under Development of Nursing Services.
- Maintain Nursing Management Information with regard to number of Nursing Personnel sanctioned/in-position with regard to PHNs, ANM, LHV, Staff Nurse, Ward Sister, ANS, NS, Chief Nursing Officer.
- Maintain information about Nursing Educational Institutions like B.Sc. (Nursing), M.Sc.(Nursing), PHD(Nursing), ANM, GNM, Nursing College alongwith their admission capacity.
- Maintain Number of Nursing Teaching Faculty in the Nurses Education Institution alongwith their specialisation
- Maintained total number of Nursing Personnel required and number to be trained in the state.
- Supervision and management of quality of Nursing Education in the state.
- Planning and supervision of nursing services in the state.
- Collaborate with State Nursing Council and professional association.
- Collaborate with other State Level officers concerning with National and Health and Family Welfare programme.